Wings Over America - PAUL MCCARTNEY*****

Venus & Mars-Rock Show-Jet/Let Me Roll It/Spirits Of Ancient Egypt/Medicine Jar/Maybe I'm Amazed/Call Me Back Again/Lady Madonna/The Long & Winding Road/Live & Let Die/Picasso's Last Word/Richard Cory/ Bluebird /I've Just Seen A Face/Blackbird/Yesterday/You Gave Me The Answer/Magneto & Titanium Man/Go Now/My Love/Listen To What The Man Said/Let 'Em In/Time To Hide/Silly Love Songs/Beware My Love/Letting Go/Band On The Run/Hi Hi Hi/Soily

Wings Over America was a mammoth live triple album from Paul McCartney and his backing band as he sought to re-establish himself as a performing artist in the USA. (US:1 UK:8)

“Paul McCartney and his fictional band at the top of the world as he followed his muse and deserved this success. It is perhaps an overlong live album and it does not bring too many surprises or different versions of already familiar music. What you hear here is basically what he had already recorded except that live versions are more bombastic, louder and don't have so many little details.”

“You have to give it to Macca: just a couple of years into his solo career he came up with so many terrific songs, he could easily sell out stadiums and arenas worldwide playing mostly his own material.”

“It took McCartney years of hard work and money in the seventies to smash America again and prove to everybody that he was still worth something, and this colossal set is a giant self-congratulating testimony to that fact.”

“Paul certainly knew how to make some money. This album, along with its tour, was a smashing success and legitimized Wings as a band once and for all.”

“Wings Over America is a study in how live recordings and, indeed, set construction would be judged in future. McCartney invested a great deal of time and effort planning his assault on America and it shows. He rested the band between gigs in order to keep them keen and fresh. He introduced the now obligatory unplugged set into the middle of the running order. He realised he would be unable to shrug off the legacy of The Beatles so included old numbers to appease the masses. Finally, he took the master tapes back into the studio to clean up any rough edges before the album was released.”

“This collection of live music represents Paul McCartney's triumphant return to the American stage. Having been deprived of a live performance for ten

A Star Is Born – SOUNDTRACK***

Watch Closely Now/Queen Bee/Everything/Lost Inside Of You/Hellacious Acres/Evergreen (Love Theme From A Star Is Born)/The Woman In The Moon/I Believe In Love/Crippled Crow/With One More Look At You-Watch Closely Now/Love Theme (Reprise)

The soundtrack album A Star Is Born was a collaboration between Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, and was a massive commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic. Features the Grammy winning US No. 1 hit Evergreen. (US:1 UK:1)

“I can find no fault with Streisand's crystalline vocal performance and the ballad Evergreen is a contemporary classic which deservedly won an Oscar, but that is the sum total of the album.”

“Though I loved the over-bloated movie in its day, it has not held up nearly as well as this soundtrack, which features a wealth of superb songwriters strutting their stuff via Barbra and Kris Kristofferson. Barbra's pseudo rock/pop/diva material is mostly exceptionally well-performed, most of all her lovely simply ballad Evergreen. But in retrospect, it is Kristofferson's melancholy wailing that has lasting power and angst.”

“It is both funny to hear Barbra (whom I dearly love) attempt to sing rock songs, and manages to turn them all into a Broadway album. It’s also thrilling to hear her voice soar on Evergreen; Streisand’s voice is so good it’s easy to tune out the croaking whine that Kris Kristoferson calls a singing voice. Take the concept of the album with a grain of salt, and just appreciates Streisand’s amazing voice.”

“This is quintessential Barbra recording; her voice is in finest form, and each and every song has something special about it. She sings nearly every line at a break-neck speed, and at high volume, which gives this rock recording even more value.”

“The Streisand penned composition Evergreen with its haunting melody and classical style timbre is one of the grandest pop records ever recorded. Artistic justice was served when the song also became a huge commercial smash. Lost Inside Of You is a surprisingly effective duet with leading man Kris Kristofferson, that features a similar classical slant and perhaps could have been a hit as well. However, some of the other material is second-rate and forgettable, but even then Streisand's vocals make them more memorable than they deserve to be.”

Greatest Hits - GILBERT O'SULLIVAN*****

Alone Again (Naturally)/Clair/Christmas Song/We Will/Nothing Rhymed/Why Oh Why Oh Why/Get Down/ Matrimony/Ooh Wakka Do Wakka Day/No Matter How I Try/Ooh Baby/Out Of The Question

Pop vocalist and songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan enjoyed immense success in the UK in the early 1970s in both the singles and album charts. This collection was issued a few years later by which time public awareness of his music had declined. This is an excellent compilation of the best of his great melodic songs. (UK:13)

“If there is a need to find out how to make commercial, easy listening, sweet pop music and not being shallow, you should check this compilation. Pure pop with heart and soul. Something that doesn't exist anymore, Just brilliant.”

“An excellent and representative compilation of one of the unique voices of 1970s pop. The music of Gilbert O'Sullivan is great. The classic Alone Again (Naturally) is not alone here, though it may be the best track.”

“One of the most talented pop songsters of the 1970s, his voice is charming, innocent, and boyish, but a little naughty. This LP is a great way to learn about him, through his biggest hits and a few other choice cuts.”

“I was very young when Alone Again Naturally was introduced and I truly love this song. I was born in the early 60s and music from the 60s and 70s really turns me on. I want to thank fine artists such as Gilbert O'Sullivan for great music that reminds me of the good times while growing up. While the lyrics are at some point quite sad, this is still a heart-filled song with true meaning.”

“In the early 70's, Gilbert O'Sullivan was genuinely talented and wrote some amazingly good songs.”

“Gilbert O'Sullivan's anachronistic style may have seemed annoyingly out of place in the early 1970s, but time has brought out the charm of his music as age brings out the rich patina in wood. This collection serves as an excellent introduction to this talented songwriter and vocalist. It's a shame that O'Sullivan's best work is today largely ignored, because he turned out some of the best crafted pop of the era.”

“In his day Gilbert recorded some incredibly memorable and richly melodic music. I knew many of these hits already, but many more of these have become my favourites since I purchased this great LP.”

Hotel California - THE EAGLES*****

Hotel California/New Kid In Town/Life The Fast Lane/Wasted Time/Wasted Time (Reprise)/Victim Of Love/Pretty Maids All In A Row/Try & Love Again/The Last Resort

Hotel California turned out to be the pinnacle, both commercially and critically, of The Eagles repertoire. Boosted by the arrival of new member Joe Walsh, they put their folk rock roots behind them to deliver a landmark mid 1970s rock album. Features the big international hits New Kid In Town, Life In The Fast Lane and above all the magnificent title track. (US:1 UK:2)

“Although an overrated album, Hotel California is a timeless work of art, an encapsulation of modern America as pertinent today as it was back then. From the opening title track to the lengthy closer, the disc is The Eagles concept piece. It inadvertently damaged their overall staying power, evidenced by the lacklustre follow-up and subsequent disbanding.”

“One of the biggest successes in pop history, Hotel California was the album that transformed The Eagles into one of the biggest acts in pop history. They shed their firm country roots, almost turning into an altogether different band. There is still their trademark watered down country-rock, but some of the space is taken up by pretty hard, if streamlined rockers.”

“This is quite possible the best Eagles album, and truly has some awesome sounds on it. The haunting and unforgettable Hotel California, with some great lyrics and allusions that bring about some vivid images and powerful emotions. The hard-driving sounds of Life In The Fast Lane, a powerful song about addiction, to the melodic and often overlooked New Kid In Town which is a great all round ballad. This album is truly magnificent and deserves the praise it receives.”

“Without question, the finest album the Eagles recorded. The title track has become an anthem for a generation. The overall Paradise Lost theme is not lost on those who lived the California life of the late 60s and early 70s.”

“The glam-fuelled delirium that was California in the early and mid 70s is perfectly captured in this album. As the Eagles grew in their career, the infusion of guitarist Joe Walsh had the effect of liberating the band from its twangy roots. Walsh and guitarist Don Felder sit front and centre in this record to deliver what is simply the best guitar and vocal album ever recorded. The introduction that starts the album and title track is legendary. Every time I hear those opening notes I have the reward of hearing Hotel California.”

A Day At The Races - QUEEN*****

Tie Your Mother Down/You Take My Breath Away/Long Way/The Millionaire Waltz/You & I/Somebody To Love/ White Man/Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy/Drowse/Let Us Cling Together

A Day At The Races may well be regarded as the most consistent Queen album from a strong field, with an amazing variety of musical styles. Features the UK No. 2 hit Somebody To Love. (US:5 UK:1)

“Queen busted out of the gate on A Day At The Races with a full on onslaught, wasting no time getting down to the hard rocking goods as the album opener, Tie Your Mother Down, is pushed out with authority. From their very first LP, Queen illustrated a unique ability to shift gears with a variety of stylist changes.”

“While somewhat less varied and quirky than their previous masterwork, A Day at The Races is simply an amazing follow-up that doesn't try to repeat its predecessor's formula. It has a lot of the same elements, but it's still packed with rock songs. Also, having Brian May do the lead vocals in some songs brings some more variety to a record that's already full of it.”

“There are elements from theatrical progressive rock, hard rock, pop and cabaret music on the album. The incredible vocals/backing vocals/choirs are the greatest assets of the music, but like the case on every preceding album the instrumental performances are also at a very high level. The compositions, whether they are of the more challenging or of the more easily accessible kind, are all very well written. They can be both epic, tongue in cheek humorous, sweet or hard rocking.”

“I can't rate this album highly enough, my absolute Queen favourite. The songwriting is diverse and strong, the music amazing, the guitar powerful and Freddie's vocals truly superb. They never made a stronger album, before or after.”

“This one picks up where the similarly named predecessor left off, with the guitar rock of Tie Your Mother Down, before jumping from style to style at random, each one done brilliantly and perfectly and the whole staying cohesive despite the inherent differences in each track. Mercury turns in some breathtaking performances here, and Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy is one of his most fun compositions.”

“The album follows a similar formula to its predecessor, A touch more pompous, the band plays a bit of everything again, from metal to vocal jazz, from pop to progressive, from operatic to gospel.”

Thirty-Three & A Third - GEORGE HARRISON***

Woman Don't You Cry For Me/Dear One/Beautiful Girl/This Song/See Yourself/Its What You Value/True Love/ Pure Smokey/Crackerbox Palace/Learning How To Love Me

Regrettably, Thirty-Three & A Third was another mediocre album released by George Harrison in fairly quick succession. The inspiration behind his first two solo albums is now a memory. (US:11 UK:35)

“With the exception of a few tracks, it feels like an uninspired latter period Harrison solo album. Nothing special, but quite pleasant nonetheless.”

“The melange of soft rock, blues and pop-soul he's been flirting with the past few albums has suddenly shifted sharply into focus, and the result is a smooth, attractive record that has worn rather well. It helps that George has throttled back the spiritual harangues quite a bit.”

“33 & 1/3 is George Harrison's first album released on the Dark Horse record label. It has only two good songs: This Song and Crackerbox Palace. The rest are fair, though thankfully, there are no skip-past-'em tracks.”

“The songs are all accessible, although as is the case with George's albums, you'll need to spend more time getting to know some tracks while others will take their presence felt almost immediately. Both Crackerbox Palace and This Song manage a rare combination of message and buoyant pop sensibilities.”

“Now, this album is certainly pleasant, and there aren't any really bad songs on here, but there aren't any truly great ones either. It works undeniably well as background music, which I don't really mean to sound like an insult, but that's what it is. Track after track is nicely tuneful with lots of enjoyable slide guitar from Harrison, but the record is sorely lacking in emotional impact.”

“33 & 1/3 is a great piece of work. It is far more optimistic than the last offerings, and a lot more coherent. I personally think the record is quite sweet at times, with love being a recurring theme. Some songs are supposedly leftovers from the last days of the Beatles, but is still feels like a grown up George Harrison record. The guitar work should be mentioned, it is simply lovely.”

“Thirty Three and 1/3 has some good songs, Crackerbox Palace is tremendous and This Song is a hilarious counter-punch to his legal troubles.”

Hejira - JONI MITCHELL***

Coyote/Amelia/Furry Sings The Blues/A Strange Boy/Hejira/Song For Sharon/Black Crow/Blue Motel Room/Refuge Of The Roads

With Hejira singer songwriter Joni Mitchell moves still further away from her folk-rock roots to a style heavily dominated by jazz influences. Although she would continue to release many more albums her popularity would decline. (US:13 UK:11)

“She has subtly changed her pristine voice into a smooth jazz like instrument which matches her guitar playing. Her lyrics are still quite beautiful, descriptive, seamlessly humorous, self aware and just very intelligent. The melodies remind me of her early work while the instrumentation is minimalist and nocturnal.”

“Joni Mitchell moved away from the Laurel Canyon folk of her early years toward an aesthetic that embraced elements of the fusion sound that was quickly overtaking jazz. What makes Hejira, so fun to listen to is how she incorporates these elements into her music without fully rejecting her earlier sound.”

“Some might classify this as boring, and it is even further from rock than most of what Joni has done. I prefer to call it dreamy. Even more uptempo songs like Coyote and Black Crow, lean decidedly towards the atmospheric side of things.”

“Easily the best of her jazz period, the whole album flows very well and her guitar playing is extremely impressive. Amelia is transcendent, as are most of the rest. Not really a bad song in the bunch, and considering they are mostly lengthy, musically complex numbers that's saying something. In addition to this Joni's vocals and lyrics are in top form.”

“The singing and the lyrics are at the forefront, and the music is just mostly a backdrop over which Joni paints lyrical ruminations on travelling the paths of existence. Despite being very pleasant, expertly played and ornate, the music is mostly not engaging enough and is there to create a jazzy, smoky atmosphere for the lyrics.”

“Hejira is not a pop album. It does not have any catchy singles or sing-a-long tunes. But it has a true emotional coherence. If you like Joni Mitchell, and want to explore her emotional, mystical side, you will probably love this.

A New World Record - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA****

Tightrope/Telephone Line/Rockaria/Mission (A World Record)/So Fine/Livin' Thing/Above The Clouds/Do Ya/Shangri La

A New World Record was where ELO struck gold, with a lengthy run at the top of the album charts, after dialling down the progressive elements in a move towards mainstream pop. Telephone Line, Rockaria and Livin’ Thing all reached the UK top ten. (US:5 UK:6)

“Having been there at the time, I can testify that this was probably one of the five or six biggest albums of the mid seventies. It is on the light side, with poppy lead and backing vocals, and no extreme progressive passages, but it is a genuinely solid album full of nice melodies.”

“The entire album is filled with great songs with symphonic flourishes and nice melodies. Jeff Lynne has always been one of those underrated songwriters but I think he has proved himself especially with this album. The whole band is in top form and you have some truly timeless classics.”

“The first side struck me as being one of the best song sequences ever, each track taking us somewhere quite different, but each brilliant in its own right. The second side doesn't quite achieve the same heights but it's still my favourite album by a group that's never quite had the critical acclaim they deserve.”

“This is the sound of the Electric Light Orchestra becoming less progressive, less symphonic, more slick and poppier. With the release of A New World Record they stood on the verge of superstardom, which they would achieve shortly after this with the disco-symphonic-pop sound they first mined here.”

“Approaching their peak, ELO have put out a great album of pop-rock songs, catchy melodies, sumptuous production, fiddly bits where the tracks run into each other. It's possibly not cool, but its great music that's catchy and makes you smile.”

“When I was in high school, a geeky kid was asked his favourite group. He said ELO and I cringed. Not because I didn't like them, but because it was then very uncool to admit you did like them. Now I'll shout it to the world - I love ELO.”

“If you enjoy a wide variety of music with classical overtones to rock power chords, you will enjoy this recording. I especially like the masterful use of electronics and synthesizers applied to the colourful melodies.”

Evita - STUDIO CAST*****

A Cinema In Buenos Aires/Requiem For Evita-Oh What A Circus/On This Night Of A Thousand Stars-Eva & Magaldi-Eva Beware Of The City/Buenos Aires/Goodnight & Thank You/The Lady's Got Potential/Charity Concert-I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You/Another Suitcase In Another Hall/Dangerous Jade/A New Argentina/ On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada-Don't Cry For Me Argentina/High Flying Adored/Rainbow High/Rainbow Tour/The Actress Has'nt Learned The Lines (You'd Like To Hear)/And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out)/ Santa Evita/Waltz For Eva & Che/She Is A Diamond/Dice Are Rolling-Eva's Sonnet/Eva's Final Broadcast/Montage/Lament

Evita was the final collaboration between Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice. Based on the life of Eva Peron this studio album can be recommended over the later stage versions. Don’t Cry For Me Argentina was a UK No. 1 hit for Julie Covington. (UK:4)

“This a monumental piece, telling a very detailed story without breaks, not very far removed from the very experimental concept and prog albums of the 1967 - 1973 era. A rich variety of times, tempos and changes of approach. Very little in rock is on such a sustained coherent scale, or matches its rich complexity.”

“The original concept album for Evita is perhaps one of the strongest versions of the piece. Julie Covington brings to the role of Eva Peron a rich guttural tone, who is more believably struggling, working class. Neither shrill nor blaring, Covington possesses a haunting sadness. This version of Evita is far more a rock opera than the later pop opera versions, with heavier guitar usage. This version doesn't patronize the listener with narrations of events, the entire story is told in song.”

“Julie Covington is the one and only, definitive Evita. No one else comes close to her brilliant vocal performance. However, many of the later updated lyrics are superior. What were they thinking of with all that insecticide stuff?”

“Evita is the best musical ever and this recording is by far the best. I feel that Julie Covington is the only true Evita. She puts so much passion into the role.”

“Evita is one of my favourite Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, because of its power and moving melodies and story. The vocals are amazing and energetic, the orchestrations are excellent.”

“I have listened to many versions of this show over the years and this is by far the best recording. Julie Covington is sublime as Eva Peron. She is able to convey the emotion of what she is singing and you will hear songs on this recording which are not on any other.”

Endless Flight - LEO SAYER***

Hold On To My Love/You Make Me Feel Like Dancing/Reflections/When I Need You/No Business Live Love Business/I Hear The Laughter/Magdalena/How Much Love/I Think We Fell In Love Too Fast/Endless Flight

Singer songwriter Leo Sayer built his reputation on quirky off beat songs. However, by the time of Endless Flight he had joined the musical mainstream to considerable commercial success. Features the No. 1 hits You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and When I Need You. (US:10 UK:4)

“If you're looking for intelligent pop music, you won't find it here. It's mindless, simplistic seventies cornball rock & roll. There was not a parent on the planet that would have complained about their kids listening to Leo Sayer.”

“Endless Flight is a well-produced package, where every song is memorable. It is the kind of album that you pull out of your collection to listen to in its entirety. Each song compliments the next. There is no filler on this collection.”

“Leo Sayer's deservedly blockbuster chart-topping album features three massive top twenty hits, including two number ones for both sides of the Atlantic, each being different. He has a reputation of doing various covers of classics to fill gaps on his albums, but these were not always a great idea. However, his rendition of The Supremes' smash Reflections is fantastic and deserves much praise.”

“The two number one hits, the catchy You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, and When I Need You, are essential career components that sound great years later. How Much Love on side two was the third chart single.”

“If you're looking for a good representation of slick, catchy, state-of-the-art mid 70's AM pop/rock, then this release will do it for you.”

Made In Europe - DEEP PURPLE****

Burn/Mistreated/Lady Double Dealer/You Fool No One/Stormbringer

Deep Purple’s live album Made In Europe was the logical successor to the Japan LP released three years earlier. Although not quite as strong it featured the new dynamic vocalist David Coverdale. (US:148 UK:12)

“Made In Europe is a good live Deep Purple vinyl. There are some great Ritchie Blackmore riffs, the songs are performed with a lot of fire, and are longer than the studio versions.”

“A smoking hot live record from DP Mk III. Perhaps David Coverdale's finest moment, and he hasn't had many great ones. Here he steps out from the shadow of Ian Gillan and makes the best of his opportunity.”

“This was a great band about to be fading away. Shortly after these gigs Richie called it a day, to return with the shining beauty of his own group Rainbow.”

“This is the last album Ritchie Blackmore played on with Deep Purple. It was recorded during the final concerts he performed with the group. Unfettered by his future intentions, he rips it up greatly, as he certainly can. It does feature a great rock act in top flight, even if they were about to combust.”

“This live snapshot captures a band at the height of their powers and Coverdale is, as ever, an astonishing vocalist. It's short on songs admittedly, but every one is a stunner.”

“Made In Europe is straight out grade A prime time rock and roll. Deep Purple rip into a furious version of Burn. Richie does a bit of a bluesy interlude before the band goes into a very cool version of Mistreated. The band is simply on fire during Lady Double Dealer. John Lord does an organ/keyboards solo in the intro to You Fool No One.”

“The opening song Burn makes for a powerful start, but also Mistreated and Lady Double Dealer come off really well and very exciting. But, You Fool No One is the real masterpiece here, sounding much stronger than the studio version, with a great keyboard opening from Jon Lord and some brilliant soloing from Ritchie Blackmore and furious drumming from Ian Paice. To close out the disc is an excellent version of Stormbringer.”

Arrival - ABBA****

When I Kissed The Teacher/Dancing Queen/My Love My Life/Dum Dum Diddle/Knowing Me Knowing You/Money Money Money/That's Me/Why Did It Have To Be Me/Tiger/Arrival

By the time of Arrival the Swedish disco pop group Abba had become the biggest act in British popular music. This is reflected in the three hit singles, their best known song the UK No. 1 Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You also No. 1 and the No. 3 hit Money Money Money. (US:20 UK:1)

“Arrival has such a happy and awesome sound. Not sure how anyone can dislike something so infectiously catchy. So many awesome moments like the fan favourite Dancing Queen, the catchy Money Money Money with the awesome keyboard and the creepy but awesome song Tiger.”

“This album has some great cheesy pop songs, but it isn't as diverse as previous releases in terms of styles and influences. Abba were cashing in on the trends at this point which makes this a more uniform album in terms of song styles.”

“I'm not a huge fan of this band, but what's important to note is that they did release some of the biggest hits of the seventies. The main thing is that the majority of their singles were all great and, most importantly of all, undeniably catchy.”

“This is a band that deserves far more respect as they were far more than a cheesy disco band as this album proves. Apart from classic singles it features some of their finest album cuts Tiger and the achingly beautiful My Love My Life. Many of the more respected bands of this era would have liked to have 'filler' tracks like these.”

“Definite signs here that Abba were capable of leaving behind their Eurovision roots and making some quality pop music. But there's some infantile rubbish, and the barely space-filling instrumental title track.”

“In the midst of the disco era, few recording artists produced music to last beyond the dance floor. Abba's music from that time not only served the immediate need for great dance music, but had substance that still sounds fresh today.”

“Abba's best known song is featured here, the disco gem Dancing Queen. This was the most popular Abba song ever and it filled dance-floors around the world with its soaring, euphoric melody and rhythmic beat. The lush, dramatic classic Knowing Me Knowing You is also a highlight, as is Money Money Money a kitschy-cabaret styled showstopper.”

Technical Ecstasy - BLACK SABBATH***

Back Street Kids/You Won't Change Me/Its Alright/Gypsy/All Moving Parts (Stand Still)/Rock & Roll Doctor/She's Gone/Dirty Women

Black Sabbath put aside their trademark doom laden heavy metal sound with the release of Technical Ecstasy. To the disappointment of their fans they started to experiment with alterative musical styles. (US:51 UK:13)

“While the band are to be admired for experimenting and trying hard to branch out of heavy metal, this album is a sudden and significant decline in quality. Even the best tracks feel more like enjoyable curiosities than fully-formed songs.”

“What happened here? Half of these songs don't sounds like Sabbath at all. It seemed like they had run out of steam and started pinching ideas from other bands. There are some decent tracks but I don't get the overall direction.”

“Every band is entitled to an album where they go outside of their comfort zone, play outside of the box, experiment with their sound, and generally mess with the minds of their diehard fans to the point where they question what was going on when the album was written and recorded. Black Sabbath's Technical Ecstasy is a greatly diversified effort compared with what preceded it, and as a result takes a great deal of effort to get used to.”

“This is commonly cited as the moment when Sabbath precipitously declined as a band during and it isn't hard to see why. The chemistry that had been such a key part of the previous six records started to disintegrated at this point.”

“Technical Ecstasy is not a bad album, and has a lot of brilliant moments, but overall it feels like the band are confused and going through an identity crisis. There are a few metallic moments, but it seems they are more interested in experimenting with keyboards and pop song structures than unleashing heavy riffs. Without the doomy riffs as the glue holding it together, the album is a nice and interesting listen but doesn't have much personality.”

“All of the characteristics that made Sabbath so popular in the seventies, had been replaced by something more mainstream and polished. Well played perhaps, but simply not that entertaining.”

Johnny The Fox - THIN LIZZY****

Johnny/Rocky/Borderline/Don't Believe A Word/Fool's Gold/Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed/Old Flame/ Massacre/Sweet Marie/Boogie Woogie Dance

By the time of Johnny The Fox the Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy were firing on all cylinders having finely tuned their distinctive musical style. Features the UK No. 12 hit Don’t Believe A Word. (US:52 UK:11)

“Fine hard rock album by a band who knew how to riff it up but rarely forgot to include tunes and decent lyrics while they were at it.” “Thin Lizzy deliver a juicy riff-tastic album featuring some super tight jamming and awesome guitar solos.”

“A very solid Thin Lizzy record with lots of gloriously tight thundering boogie. Not everything is memorable but everything is listenable. The saccharine balladry hasn't aged as well as the phenomenal Don't Believe A Word, but there's a lot to like here.”

“Every bit as good as the classic that preceded it, this one opens with two of Lynott's character studies, Johnny and the blistering Rocky, before dropping into the moody introspective Borderline and the single Don't Believe A Word. Thin Lizzy at this point were among the best rock bands in the world, and Johnny The Fox is another highlight in a career whose highest points are often overlooked. Massacre is worth the price of admission alone, but the whole record just kicks from end to end.”

“I believe that this one finds all the things that Thin Lizzy became known and respected for, in abundance. They are almost mesmerising at places and at the same time they're rocking, cool and poetic, and they can really play.”

“Johnny The Fox is a must have for anyone who likes great guitar. Every song on this album is fantastic. Great song writing, great guitar and of course, Phil Lynott's awesome voice.”

Blue Moves - ELTON JOHN***

Your Starter For/Tonight/One Horse Town/Chameleon/Boogie Pilgrim/Cage The Songbird/Crazy Water/Shoulder Holster/Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word/Out Of The Blue/Between Seventeen & Twenty/The Wide Eyed & Laughing/Someone's Final Song/Where's The Shoorah/If There's A God In Heaven/Idol/Theme From A Non Existent TV Series/Bite Your Lip (Get Up & Dance)

The double album Blue Moves provided further evidence of the decline in Elton John’s songwriting skills. Most critics agree that it should have been reduced to a single LP. Features the US No. 6 hit Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. (US:3 UK:3)

“This is a long and somewhat rambling affair. It is also introspective and an unintended look into his troubled psyche. A lot less commercial that most of his past work, I can’t help but think that it would have made a pretty good single disc.”

“Nice variation in instrumentation, genres, and song moods. There's funk, prog, pop featuring sitars, synthesizers, strings, horns in fun string heavy sing-a-longs to crooning sad songs. This keeps it interesting but goes a bit too far at times.”

“Generally seen as the start of his decline, Elton John's Blue Moves is his worst album to date, even if it might seem unfairly derided at times.”

“The title is certainly apt (pretty much all the songs are downbeat). While there are not enough quality songs for a cohesive double album, it is still well worth a listen and better than most critics would have you believe.”

“As has been suggested it should have been a single album, or perhaps songs could have been saved from Rock Of The Westies to make it a better double album. This would have allowed the decent songs that went on too long to have been shortened namely Bite Your Lip and Crazy Water.”

“I have to agree that the quality of the material on Blue Moves is stretched over two albums, when one disc might have been dynamite.”

“This is a showcase for Elton’s decline into adult contemporary mediocrity. Blue Moves, sadly, wouldn't have made all that great a single record, although the best songs here, Tonight and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, are melodic and well crafted.”

The Song Remains The Same - LED ZEPPELIN****

Rock & Roll/Celebration Day/The Song Remains The Same/Rain Song/Dazed & Confused/No Quarter/Stairway To Heaven/Moby Dick/Whole Lotta Love

The double album The Song Remains The Same was the sole live release from rock giants Led Zeppelin at the height of their fame. Considered self indulgent by some, an extended version of Moby Dick must be regarded as a very challenging listen. (US:2 UK:1)

“In 1973 Led Zeppelin were on an US tour and decided to film the three shows they played at the Madison Square Garden. The three shows have been filmed and Led Zeppelin wanted to make a movie out of it, but they never had time to work on the movie so it remained unreleased until 1976.”

“The band sound tired. John Bonham fails to deliver the energy that a Led Zeppelin performance needs and Robert Plant is talking monotonously through half of the lyrics like he doesn't even care.”

“A great live album, but the version of Dazed & Confused is about ten minutes too long, and Moby Dick is too long and boring. The remainder is very good.”

“Warts and all, I rather like this appropriately excessive, bloated testament to Led Zeppelin as a live act. Some of the performances are pretty sloppy, but I rather enjoy the extended improvisations on Dazed & Confused and No Quarter.”

“The first part isn't too bad, you get slightly longer versions of some pretty good songs. Then suddenly, you hit the giant, hulking behemoth that is Dazed & Confused, full of lengthy jamming that just doesn't seem to gel, and that's essentially where the rest of the album lingers. Aimless, heartless, soulless. It's unfortunate, because you know there's so much potential for this album, but it's wasted.”

“The songs on this double LP are even more explosive than the studio recordings. Jimmy Page is unbelievable on the guitar and you can almost see Robert Plant on stage because there is so much emotion in his voice. John Bonham is stellar on the drums in a twelve minute version of Moby Dick and John Paul Jones has a great organ solo in No Quarter. If you want a new twist from Led Zeppelin this is for you.”

“Unfortunately, this great band has only this album to represent their live work, which is largely tedious and self-indulgent. How much Dazed & Confused and Moby Dick can you bear? You'll find out if you buy this album.”

Year Of The Cat - AL STEWART***

Lord Grenville/On The Border/Midas Shadow/Sand In Your Shoes/If It Doesn't Come Naturally Leave It/Flying Sorcery/Broadway Hotel/One Stage Before/Year Of The Cat

After many years on the fringe of commercial success Scottish singer songwriter Al Stewart finally made his big breakthrough with Year Of The Cat, helped by the US No. 8 placing of the title track. (US:5 UK:38)

“The songwriting is exquisite. Not only does he know how to write ear grabbing melodies, he is also able to meld the words into the song to create a vivid picture of the world around him.”

“This is one of the best singer/songwriter albums of the era. Super atmospheric production with ultra literate and melodic songs that contribute to a timeless album. Though Al Stewart had been around since the 1960s, this was his commercial breakthrough and every song is a wonder.”

“Al's most popular album, mainly due to the classic title track but the album also just happens to be his best due to the nice relaxed vibe and dreamy songs like Broadway Hotel and Lord Grenville. I'm generally not a singer/songwriter fan but Al is an exception, partly because though he's poetic, he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously.”

“The title track is amazing, beautiful strings and alluring storytelling. The rest is pleasant and enjoyable enough but I never really feel engaged emotionally by Stewarts writing. His rather effete vocal style never gripped me either.”

“Scottish folkie Al Stewart broke big with Year Of The Cat, the album seeing him paired with ace producer Alan Parsons and packaged in a classy Hipgnosis sleeve. While Stewart's songs are the centrepiece of the album, their sonic environs at the hands of Parsons, and the deft accompaniment of the assembled musicians shape the songs in the same way a cinematographer does a film. Each track is finely detailed with instruments impeccably staged, while Stewart's songs are fittingly richly visual tales.”

“The music was flawless on all levels, which just may have been its downfall. As in all art, there needs to be an edge, something to draw your attention and hold it. There were no edges here, and time has weathered the corners even more smooth, allowing the songs to float through my head like a half acknowledged warm breeze.”

Long May You Run - THE STILLS-YOUNG BAND***

Long May You Run/Make Love To You/Midnight On The Bay/Black Coral/Ocean Girl/Let It Shine/12-8 Blues (All The Same)/Fontainebleau/Guardian Angel

The Stills-Young Band was the final permutation of the CSNY grouping with Long May You Run the sole collaboration between these two artists. The Young songs find more critical favour than those from Stills. (US:26 UK:12)

“A bit of a lost odyssey in the Neil Young canon as he and old band mate Stephen Stills formed a new band for just one album. Buffalo Springfield fans must have rejoiced to hear the news. Sadly, it's nothing ground breaking. It's a shame that Stills, previously a hip and relevant songwriter, has become a mainly adult contemporary pap writer by this point, and so had very little besides harmonies to add to the table. So yes, all of his songs are sadly filler but Neil's are all pretty good.”

“This is a cohesive and carefully assembled mood album which flows from one track to the next as Neil and Steve play a lazy backyard catch, throwing the ball to each other. Standout tracks are for me Stills' organ-driven Make Love To You and Young's Fontainebleau, possibly the most beautiful song he ever recorded.”

“The Neil songs are good and worth acquiring if you're a big fan. Stills' songs pale in comparison though he does contribute some neat fretwork in places. So a patchy album at best.”

“Long May You Run was a quite successful album, mostly thanks to Neil's classic title track. The reviews were pretty negative, but it's far from a bad record. Neil does deliver better songs than Stills, with Let It Shine and Fontainebleau being great compositions. Stills wrote songs that were good enough, but the contrast with Neil's work is too big, and besides, we all know he could do much better.”

“Neil's stuff isn't exactly revelatory, but it has a certain relaxed charm. Stills' tunes, meanwhile, have a sort of overbearing pretentiousness to them, while still being pretty low-energy.”

“Well, at least the Neil Young songs are good. Unfortunately that only makes up half the album. And even the Young songs aren't among his best. That is, with one notable exception. I love the song Fontainebleau, it's a Neil Young classic that actually makes it worth the album purchase.”

Children Of The World - THE BEE GEES****

You Should Be Dancing/You Stepped Into My Life/Love So Right/Lovers/Can't Keep A Good Man Down/Boogie Child/Love Me/Subway/The Way It Was/Children Of The World

The Bee Gees continued their resurgence with the release of Children Of The World. For this album they cast off the last vestiges of their earlier musical style to fully embrace disco featuring their soon to become trademark falsetto. Includes the US No. 1 You Should Be Dancing and No. 3 Love So Right. (US:8)

“This album is classic Bee Gees disco, although none of them will say the ‘D’ word out loud, instead relying on the euphemism of unique blend of pop and soul. For a group that helped define a genre, this is a cop out. Nonetheless, the music on this album is high disco and pop for the era.”

“A perfectly listenable album this from the Gibb brothers, if you can take pretty much ten songs sung in piercing falsetto and backed by the type of cheesy synth you'd expect to hear at the local social club do.”

“A fine piece of the Bee Gees' disco period. It cannot compete with its predecessor, Main Course, but it is loaded with some great R & B and funk arrangements. In order to enjoy this album though, a falsetto tolerance is essential.”

“This is Brothers Gibb at the peak of their disco-funk-soul sound. Barry rules almost every song with his very special high voice, and Robin's few lead vocal contributions are simply awful.”

“Although The Bee Gees had included some soul into their sound on their two previous albums Children Of The World is the first where they decided to concentrate on this style exclusively. However, much of the soul found here tends to have a softer edge, particularly with the uptempo tracks.”

“It's still a classic example of the tasteful writing and the trademark voices of a truly class act. As in a lot of records, the best tracks are not the songs released as singles, like Subway, with its driving beat and haunting melody, and the passionate beauty of The Way It Was.”

“This album features some of their finest songwriting and vocal moments. You Should Be Dancing encourages people to get on the dance floor and start dancing the night away. It also features Barry's best falsetto at the time. Love So Right describes the difference between love and infatuation.”

Boston - BOSTON****

More Than A Feeling/Peace Of Mind/Foreplay-Long Time/Rock & Roll Band/Smokin'/Hitch A Ride/Something About You/Let Me Take You Home Tonight

Self titled debut album from the US melodic hard rock band Boston. They would repeat the highly successful formula a couple of years later, but fans would have to wait a long time for a third helping. Features the US top five hit More Than A Feeling. (US:3 UK:11)

“With their first LP, Boston achieved two things; they made one of the strongest debut albums in history of rock, and secondly they started the whole arena rock genre that became globally popular in the late 70s.”

“More Than A Feeling is an ultimate, timeless hit, an evergreen and of course it's a highlight and Peace Of Mind is no less good either.”

“More Than A Feeling is a great song, immaculately structured with that guitar led chorus that just seems to emerge out of the ether. It sounds good for its time and I can't imagine its star ever dimming. What I wasn't prepared for is how the rest of the album takes the hard rock elements of Boston's most famous son, and builds a cohesive whole around them.”

“This is an absolute must-have for guitar lovers who can take a moderate dose of radio-friendly choruses and infectious melodies in their music diet.”

“This album is great fun as a whole. Many hate it because it was radio friendly and sold millions of copies, but this is not necessarily a bad thing, especially when the music was actually pretty good. Yes, the lyrics are not complex or deep, but the unmatched melodies and unique guitar sound manage to blow you away. This is the pop face of hard rock, and it's great.”

“I wonder if the even more excruciating wave of AOR bands that formed in the wake of this record had never existed, would people just remember this as a harmless heavy rock album with pop songwriting and particularly extensive production. Maybe, but the sound Boston became responsible for is pretty much the death rattle of rock n' roll and the American Dream.”

“Perhaps the greatest appeal of Boston was the utterly classic sound they created on their first album. With the incredible harmonics of both guitar and vocals, each song is a toe-tapper, never losing its powerful allure.”

No Reason To Cry - ERIC CLAPTON***

Beautiful Thing/Carnival/Sign Language/County Jail Blues/All Our Pastimes/Hello Old Friend/Double Trouble/Innocent Times/Hungry/Black Summer Rain

No Reason To Cry is another less than inspired release from guitarist Eric Clapton, whose solo albums were always less satisfying than those where he was part of a group. This one has a guest appearance by Bob Dylan. (US:15 UK:8)

“At first listen, it sounds like a watered down version of the previous album because it has only one stand-out track, Carnival, the rest being slow-burning and not very inspired doodling. Unexpected appearance of Bob Dylan does nothing for either artist except for the surprise factor of two superstars collaborating where Clapton's playing by far overshadows Dylan's singing.”

“The guitar god mystique is starting to fade and that seems to be OK with Eric, but not necessarily so for most of his fans. He seems to have settled on laid back country-blues, and that's too bad because I believe he had more to offer. Pleasant enough I guess but where did Eric Clapton go?”

“This was made during a period when you were waiting for EC to let it rip but instead he was more into napping. It got aggravating buying his records then. However, this is still a pleasant little piece of work.”

“It's actually quite a nice album with members of The Band providing a little vocal, instrumental and songwriting support. Bob Dylan appears as well on his own Sign Language. This is perhaps not Clapton at his absolute best, but No Reason To Cry should be a strong consideration for fans of Clapton, Dylan or The Band.”

“The songs are well-written and consistent from beginning to end, with a good mix of slow and fast tunes, though none rock hard. Of course, he included a couple of blues covers, of which County Jail Blues is the best.”

“Eric Clapton and a variety of friends contribute to this assortment. The music is as diverse as the contributors. Eric does country and blues, and at times he sounds like he's in The Band. Most of the songs are good, but he holds back on his guitar playing. My favourite comes when he does what he does best: blues with his guitar at the forefront, on Double Trouble. Also Black Summer Rain must be one of his best compositions. It's a nice album, but too much of a hotch-potch.”

Spirit - JOHN DENVER***

Come & Let Me Look In Your Eyes/Eli's Song/Wrangle Mountain Song/Hitchhiker/In The Grand Way/Polka Dots & Moonbeams/It Makes Me Giggle/Baby You Look Good To Me Tonight/Like A Sad Song/San Antonio Rose/ Pegasus/The Wings That Fly Us Home

Country-rock singer songwriter John Denver enjoyed considerable popularity during the early 1970s. By the time of the release of Spirit his appeal was beginning to wane and his future albums would chart much lower. (US:7 UK:9)

“The drippiness of this album in general is saved in the final track with the arrival of the most formative and evocative song of my youth, The Wings That Fly Us Home. Ignore the rest, buy it simply for the power and sheer spiritual depth of this one song which surely provided the vehicle for the rest of this weak album to travel upon.”

“The whole album is very good, but the last song is exceptional. Words cannot describe the feeling I get whenever I hear it. I can almost feel my own spirit wanting to take flight. When music brings tears to your eyes, that says something and this one did. This is John Denver at his best.”

“This might not be the best John Denver album but it sure has some great songs on it. Baby You Look Good To Me Tonight is one. While I love the whole album some of it is a bit cheesy and there are tracks that I would skip.”

“This is a great example of John Denver's wonderful talents as a singer and songwriter, one produced at the height of his popularity in the mid-1970s. Here we see some of the monster hits that propelled him into amazing popularity and superstardom in the early 1970s. In his heyday no one was outselling his albums or out-booking John for concert appearances, and considering the incredible talents on the scene at the time, that is a pretty good indication of just how popular he was, and just how universal was John Denver's appeal. No one else sang of the wide-open possibilities and seemingly limitless prospects for a good life awaiting those who would free themselves from the bonds that confined them and just dare to soar along with him in the wild open spaces.”

“I was hoping for more really beautiful songs by John, but this was disappointing. One of the reasons was that many of the songs were written by other writers, and these were not the best of picks.”

Hasten Down The Wind - LINDA RONSTADT***

Lose Again/The Tattler/If He's Ever Near/That'll Be The Day/Lo Siento Mi Vida/Hasten Down The Wind/Rivers Of Babylon/Give One Heart/Try Me Again/Crazy/Down So Low/Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

Vocalist Linda Ronstadt was heavily dependant on cover songs to which she provided her own interpretations. Hasten Down The Wind exemplifies the problem with this approach. Why would anyone want to listen to alternative versions of Crazy or That’ll Be The Day when the originals are so perfect? (US:3 UK:32)

“Linda Ronstadt has a great voice, with great musicians and a good taste in songs. Maybe some people consider this music to be hollow, shallow and facile, but I don't agree. She catches perfectly the worn-out, rock/pop zeitgeist of the mid-1970s more than any other artist out there.”

“This is definitely my favourite Linda Ronstadt album. The songs flow effortlessly into one another, and her voice has discovered a subtle texture.”

“Much of Linda Ronstadt’s Hasten Down The Wind is bordering on filler. Some of the songs have a interesting moments, but overall, most of what’s here is disappointing. However, there is one song here that is a masterpiece, Crazy which saves the album. Here Linda is in complete control and command of her voice. Her inflections and nuances show that she fully understands what the song is all about.”

“The album showcases Ronstadt's big, rich voice in a selection of down-so-low songs. Her take on the classic Patsy Cline song, Crazy, is wistful as well as woeful, and the entire album would be my first choice if I were spending a rainy night remembering old, lost loves.”

“Hasten Down The Wind garnered her a Grammy for best female pop vocal performance. It's a very real, raw album with Ronstadt's sweet vocals pierced by a touch of grit.

“That'll Be The Day is one of her best; she completely reinvents the song, and it's jet-propelled throughout. Crazy, revered as Patsy Cline's classic, is perfectly captured in a stark arrangement, in which Ronstadt represents the emotional details of the lyrics with exceptional skill. Down So Low comes complete with a large chorus and thrilling lead vocals lines and is remarkable.”

Whistling Down The Wire - CROSBY & NASH***

Spotlight/Broken Bird/Time After Time/Dancer/Mutiny/JB Blues/Marguerita/Taken At All/Foolish Man/Out Of The Darkness

Whistling Down The Wire was the third Crosby & Nash 1970s partnership by two artists with very differing musical styles. Although this one is rather undistinguished, they would again team up with Stephen Stills the following year to release a top selling album. (US:26)

“By this time Stephen Stills was not the only one who was going downhill after he switched to a new label; Crosby & Nash weren't at their best either. This album has some good moments, but most of it is disappointing and totally unmemorable. The band plays good, but the songs mostly lack the inspiration of previous records. It's all above average, but seldom great.”

“There are a couple things with Crosby and Nash albums that you can always count on. One of course is the fine harmony vocals. The other is that Crosby's songs will always be more interesting than Nash's. This hold true once again on Whistling Down The Wire.”

“Whistling Down The Wire is the perfect musical companion to their previous release which continues and expands the poetic songs and harmonies that they are famous for. What strikes one the most are the incredible harmony vocals, as the songs are relatively quieter the distinctive Crosby-Nash vocal blend stands out more.”

“The music has an urgent, almost raw feel, and it comes as no surprise to discover that most of the tracks were recorded ‘live’ in the studio with very little overdubbing. Crosby may have been close to running on empty at the time, yet Time After Time and Foolish Man remain, two of the greatest moments in his vast body of work. As for Nash, his Marguerita has always been unfortunately overlooked, as has Broken Bird, co-written with Crosby.”

“The mood of Whistling Down The Wire is different, there's a certain melancholy to it, particularly in Nash's tunes, a more sombre tone than in previous compositions. Marguerita and Broken Bird are gorgeous examples of Graham's depth of feeling, proving that his sweet and tender spirit does not mean that he is a light composer.”

“The album-opening Spotlight is a wonderfully joyful song about playing live and sharing experiences through music. Nash contributes two of his all-time great solo compositions and Crosby gets in a spellbinding solo composition of his own.”

In The Pocket - JAMES TAYLOR***

Shower The People/A Junkie's Lament/Money Machine/Slow Burning Love/Everybody Has The Blues/ Daddy's All Gone Woman's Gotta Have It/Captain Jim's Drunken Dream/Don't Be Sad 'Cause Your Sun Is Down/Nothing Like A Hundred Miles/Family Man/Golden Moments

Singer songwriter James Taylor’s first two albums on the Warner label were classics. Since then future releases were increasingly bland and forgettable and In The Pocket maintained that trend. (US:16)

“One great song; the rest is pleasantly forgettable, as well as luxuriously overproduced to boot.”

“A further move musically into bland pop-soul. It's definitely a minor work, and the last three songs are straight-up filler, but there's something oddly likeable about it.”

“Taylor moves further away from his troubadour roots and further into pop territory with mixed results. Shower The People was the hit, albeit not a very big one. It's a pretty good example of the direction the rest of the album takes.”

“Very likely, many of you have never heard of this album. Take my word for it, it's terrific. Shower The People is the one well-known classic song, but don't be fooled, there are many other gems within. Soft and melodic, touching and sweet.”

“The art of the singer-songwriter at its apex. Start with the succinct and surprisingly unsentimental Shower The People and go from there, because this record is deep and wide in its cogent explorations.”

“James Taylor has always been an amazing singer songwriter, however, In The Pocket is nowhere near being a masterpiece. It is just a standard good album with many legitimate album cuts. There are no other hits but every song is consistent. Just don't buy this expecting another Sweet Baby James.”

“A very good LP. Taylor's voice is still melodic, and his talent for songwriting seems as natural and effortless as breathing. His voice is as smooth as glass.”

Spitfire - JEFFERSON STARSHIP***

Crusin'/Dance With The Dragon/Hot Water/St Charles/Song To The Sun/With Your Love/Switchblade/Big City/Love Lovely Love

Spitfire continued the commercial revival of the progressive rock band trading under the Jefferson banner. Although rather uneven if features the US No. 12 hit With Your Love. (US:3 UK:30)

“Spectacular early Jefferson Starship. Though they haven't quite solidified their identity as a hard rock meets AOR band they were well on their way with songs like the powerful epics St. Charles and Song To The Sun. Then there's the laid back Cruisin’, and the hard driving Dance With The Dragon. Spitfire isn't quite a masterpiece, but its close.”

“It smelled of formula. Suddenly Marty was the voice behind the hit singles, and those singles were AOR all the way. But to tell the truth, it didn't bother this listener all that much. Balin was and remains one of the most underrated and overlooked singers in rock. He could put the ballads over with aplomb and then turn around and have a ball with an uptempo fun track like Cruisin'. His vocal on the album's closer Love Lovely Love is among his best ever.”

“Spitfire was unfairly overlooked in its time, coming on the heels the mega-selling Red Octopus. In retrospect, it is a stronger, more unified effort and as close to a group sound as Jefferson Starship ever came. There are a few clunkers, and some unfocussed moments, but the strongest cuts are better than anything recorded by the latter-day Airplane.”

“Take some catchy guitar riffs, add some upbeat tempos, throw in a couple of pleasing ballads, a mystical song or two, put it all together and you have Jefferson Starship's Spitfire.”

“Having seen the Airplane live on several occasions, this studio friendly assemblage is stunning. St. Charles alone is worth the price of the album; everything else is a bonus. Song To The Sun is a classic; there is not a single song on that qualifies as filler, they are all good.”

Olias Of Sunhillow - JON ANDERSON***

Ocean Song/Meeting (Garden Of Geda-Sound Out The Galleon/Dance Of Ranyart-Olias (To Build The Moorglade)/QoQuaQ En Transic-Naon-Transic To/Flight Of The Moorglade/Solid Space/Moon Ra/Chords/Song Of Search/To The Runner

Olias Of Sunhillow was the debut album of Yes vocalist Jon Anderson. By this time the best work of the group was behind them. This rambling solo release did nothing to rehabilitate their reputation. (US:47 UK:8)

“This album features Anderson's multi-instrumental skills, handling all keys, guitars, bass and strings, helped by a very strong technical team, that assisted with the endless overdubs. A concept work around a character named Olias, an alien, who leads his people to a new world due to a volcanic catastrophe. It has a strong pre-new age atmosphere, backed up by lots of spacey sounds and light Yes overtones.”

“Anderson layers both conventional instruments and his own voice to produce a lush, symphonic underpinning for a saga inspired by Roger Dean album covers. The sort of voice-as-instrument multi-tracked experiment heard on here had a prequel in the form of We Have Heaven on Fragile, but whereas that was a brief, quirky experiment, here Anderson expands this form into sustained, sedate and blissful space journeys, proving himself an adept multi-instrumentalist.”

“Musically, this is flamboyant sparkly fairy prog, as befits a solo project. Lush keyboards, world music new-ageisms and pretty sounds abound, immersing you fully in the sci-fi fantasy world of Jon Anderson, king of the pixies. A really pleasant album to listen to, it's happy, fluffy and enjoyably eccentric in the way only feel-good prog nonsense can be. It's essentially a Yes album stripped of instrumental fireworks, and the moderating influence of the other Yes members.”

“It showcases Jon's musical ability, which is quite accomplished. There are also a lot of instrumental tracks which keep the album flowing nicely. One word that sums this up is tranquil, but don't confuse that with boring as this definitely isn't.”

“I enjoyed the parts where it was just Jon Anderson and the guitar. But the instrumental pieces were quite boring, having the simplest and most uninspiring and beats, melodies and riffs. Overall, this is just a mess with a bad mix of instruments and musical genres, along with curiously high pitched vocals.”

Chicago X - CHICAGO***

Once Or Twice/You Are On My Mind/Skin Tight/If You Leave Me Now/Together Again/Another Rainy Day In New York City/Mama Mama/Scrapbook/Gently I'll Wake You/You Get It Up/Hope For Love

Chicago continued to move away from their jazz-rock roots with Chicago X, transforming into a soft rock band. This certainly paid off with the single If You Leave Me Now, No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic, gaining a Grammy in the process. (US:3 UK:21)

“They had now become a pop rock band, a soft rock band and an easy listening band. But even the pop rock itself was waning. If You Leave Me Now is a great soft rock tune. If the rest of the album were as consistent you'd have a great soft rock album. But it isn't.”

“Just by listening to this album it's quite apparent that Chicago's best days were behind them and their decline was beginning. It seems that bands with horn sections (an innovative concept around the late sixties) just didn't have strong staying power.”

“I just adore If You Leave Me Now, but the remainder of the LP isn't as good as this which is too bad. Anyway, some nice songs, and better than the previous one.”

“If You Leave Me Now was a hit, therefore it is on a compilation. Everything else on this album is pitiful, so this one should be melted. Unfortunately, this would be an indication of things to come.”

“I think this was one to many Chicago albums for me. Everything up to this point is class, but I'll leave the cheesy ballads from here on in for the housewives.”

“I agree with popular sentiment that this is indeed the worst of the Terry Kath era, but that doesn't mean this record is a complete waste. There are a number of very solid songs, and most people should find at least some redeeming qualities to it.”

“This was where the band completely went down the sewer, between Cetera's sappy, overwrought ballads, and extremely mediocre songwriting, it was obvious the spark of the early albums had long gone out.”

“If You Leave Me Now would end up being the band's most popular tune. This really started the whole ballad thing with Chicago. The rest of the songs vary from good to very good showcasing the bands diverse talent for music. If you like Chicago, you will like this album.”

Beautiful Noise - NEIL DIAMOND***

Beautiful Noise/Stargazer/Lady-Oh/Don't Think Feel/Surviving The Life/If You Know What I Mean/Street Life/ Home Is A Wounded Heart/Jungletime/Signs/Dry Your Eyes

Beautiful Noise from singer songwriter Neil Diamond was the last album in which he appeared to fully engage his creative talents. If You Know What I Mean and the title track were both top twenty hits. (US:4 UK:10)

“Beautiful Noise is one of Diamond's best albums; the songwriting, arrangements and his vocal power are at a peak here. His music that time was called urban rock and that label pretty much describes it.”

“A varied album and not bad by any means, however it does hop around with some classic pop songs, reggae, ballads and soft pop. Beautiful Noise, is probably his strongest song to open an album with. Great tune, beat, mood and lyrics. Stargazer is another powerful song.”

“For most of the time, producer Robbie Robertson prevents him from lapsing into his usual overwrought style and this album benefits from a couple of fine songs in If You Know What I Mean and Dry Your Eyes, although some of the rest falls well short of this standard.”

“Vocally, Diamond has never sounded better than this. Beautiful Noise and If You Know What I Mean are both very uplifting in their own way. Only a New Yorker could do a tribute album about their city and make it sound so appealing.”

“Beautiful Noise is about the sounds and music Neil heard while growing up in Brooklyn. It is about first loves, but mostly the noises Neil heard drifting out of the many small juke joints and music stores and even coming from homes. The whole album is a concept and Diamond and Robertson hit a home run.”

“Diamond was never an album artist, and Beautiful Noise, with its unnecessarily broad mix of hard rock, easy listening, ragtime jazz, reggae and power balladry, won't prove any doubters wrong.”

“Neil's last concept album features musical arrangements that range from quasi hard-rock, to power ballads, to popish New Orleans jazz and more. That's too much for one album, yet I enjoy most of it and appreciate his last gasp at doing something truly artistic. Sadly, everything that came after has been soulless dreck.”

A Kind Of Hush - THE CARPENTERS***

There's A Kind Of Hush/You/Sandy/Goofus/Can't Smile Without You/I Need To Be In Love/One More Time/Boat To Sail/I Have You/Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Unfortunately, A Kind Of Hush is an uneven album as several of the tracks are inferior to those featured in earlier releases. However, the better songs are enhanced by the purity of Karen Carpenter’s voice. (US:33 UK:3)

“Very pleasant easy listening. Today no one can come close to this. A bit twee though.”

“This is not The Carpenters best album, but certainly, one worth listening to. Karen's voice is a appealing as ever, Richard's arrangements are nice, but the material doesn't seem up to par with the Carpenter's standards. There are some strong songs, but nothing new and exciting, just a pleasant collection of love songs sung by one of the most distinctive voices in music.”

“This album breaks no ground musically and seems to mellow out at times. However, Karen's voice redeems it. You is lovely, and so is Can't Smile Without You, but clearly the best song is I Need To Be In Love. But the songs on the second half all seem to sound the same, and one can now see The Carpenter's slide down the charts beginning.”

“This album doesn't have the spark that most other Carpenters albums do. But Karen's voice rises above that.”

“Perhaps their personal problems, relentless touring and other outside influences had something to do with the rather lacklustre theme of the album. Amongst such oddball cuts as Goofus and the cloying Sandy the listener will find a few gems and one masterpiece, I Need To Be In Love, Karen's personal favourite.”

“Its overall presentation fails to fully satisfy due to a lack of top-notch material. The arrangements are more restrained than usual, often featuring Karen's gorgeous alto all alone with no overdubbing or harmonies. The standout tracks are the stunning One More Time, I Have You and of course, the album's masterpiece, I Need To Be In Love. The remaining tracks are mostly very nice, but nothing exceptional. Why the moronic track Goofus was ever released as a single is beyond me. Almost any other song would've been a far better choice.”

A Night On The Town - ROD STEWART***

Tonight's The Night/The First Cut Is The Deepest/Fool For You/The Killing Of Georgie/The Balltrap/Pretty Flamingo/Big Bayou/The Wild Side Of Life/Trade Winds

Vocalist Rod Stewart continued to enjoy immense popular success despite the transition from good time rocker towards MOR territory. A Night On The Town tries to ride both horses, without fully satisfying either camp. (US:2 UK:1)

“Rod Stewart once had the ability to treat cover songs as if they was his own, and his version of The First Cut Is The Deepest is a classic. Pretty Flamingo is great too, and on The Killing Of Georgie he shows that he can write some good songs too.”

“Separated into two sides, one for the ballads the other for the rockers. It starts off well enough with the first side containing the three hit singles, two of them self-penned and each of them seeing him more than living up to his self-proclaimed soubriquet of story-teller, firstly the disarming seduction of Tonight's The Night, the superb The Killing Of Georgie and the well-chosen cover of The First Cut Is The Deepest. There's not much more after that I'm afraid.”

“Rod Stewart has made possibly every type of song in his illustrious career, and this album is a fine example of just how diverse Rod is. This is one of those albums where you don't skip to the next track; every track is that good. The slow half features the obviously slower, lovelier tracks, while the fast half features throw-it-in-your-face boogie down songs.”

“This is quite possibly the last musically credible album Rod Stewart put out before he turned into a leopard skin clad king of disco dirge, but having said that it still isn't a patch on his earlier solo output. Most of the album is pretty ordinary, and biggest problem with the faster tracks is that they sound like a very poor man's watered down Rolling Stones.”

“Rod's done us the service of breaking the songs up stylistically on this record. If you want to listen to slow cheesy songs listen to side one. It starts off with the groan-inducing Tonight's The Night and goes downhill from there. If you want to listen to fast songs listen to side two. Rod must have found himself in a bit of a quandary with Trade Winds. It's a slow song that ends up on the fast side.”